Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

774

PIONEER HISTORY OF INGIIAM COUNTY

chosen as a suitable site for the Agricultural College. The popu.
lation in 1860 was 17,456. The whole number of occupied faims,
1,576; acres improved, 81,295; urimproved, 93,151. There were
then 65 qualified male teachers in the county and 183 female.
In the description of Mason village we find that it had a "steadily increasing population" which at that time had reached the
500 mark.
It puts considerable stress on the one newspaper published
every Thursday, by D. B. Harrington, at $1 per year, and known
as "The Ingham County News." It had one church edifice, the
Methodist, and one Masonic lodge; twelve stores, two hotels,
steam flour mill, one steam and one water mill, iron foundry,
distillery (who can give a description of that for the Inghami
County Historical Society?) and a potash mill.
There were listed fifty-two professions and trades, and of those
engaged in these, M. True of this city and D. B. Harrington, who
lives in Wisconsin, are the only ones living. There were no saloons, no real estate dealers, but we find six physicians, five
lawyers, with millwrights, saddlers, coopers, carriage makers,
and cabinet makers, besides the usual merchants, hotel keepers,
carpenters and blacksmiths.
Would it not be interesting to know what the exact number of
residences in Mason was at that time, and where they were located?
YOUNGSTER RECEIVES SLED USED BY GRANDFATHER
IN 1847.
John C. Squiers, III, of Ypsilanti, Gets Unusual Gift 1919.
John C. Squiers, III, of Ypsilanti, will receive a Christmas gift
from his grandfather, John C. Squiers, Sr., of this city, which
should be especially cherished by him.
The gift is a hand sled that is an old timer. It was made in
1847 and was used to draw Mr. Squiers about the streets of Syracuse, N. Y., when he was a baby. Mr. Squiers is now 72 years old.
The sled, which was made of well seasoned hickory, has been
broken once or twice, but most of the original sled remains intact
and is in a good state of preservation. It has always been in Mr.
Squiers' possession and has always been highly prized by him.